Wine Lake Fishing in Lake County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Wine Lake sits within Lake County in Minnesota. It stands 1,877 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to roughly 268 acres, so plan for one area rather than the whole. Few waters listed in Lake County are bigger. Grand Marais is the closest place, 31 miles off. Further out sit Ely (43 miles) and Silver Bay (47 miles). It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Wine Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Reported across Lake County: white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike and rainbow trout. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Treat Wine Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 64°F on average, January about 4°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Break-up near late April, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Wine Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Overnight stays are possible about half a mile out, where camping is mapped. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Frederick Lake at 0.6 miles is the sensible second choice. Treat Wine Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.